Growing Bonds
by AmazinglyRed
Summary: Emma thinks she has finally found a way for Ty to notice her, but will everything go as she plans or will something unexpected happen?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Everyone was chilling at 'The Office' after a hard day of work. Reef, Broseph, Johnny, and Fin were surfing some waves while Lo and Emma were making a sand castle. Lo didn't know why Emma asked her to make a sand castle with her, but she could tell that something was on her mind.

When Emma was sure that no one else could hear, she scooted closer to Lo so she wouldn't have to talk louder than possible.

"Lo, I don't know what to do. I really like Ty, but it's like he doesn't even notice me. He can't even say my name right! Will you talk to him? Maybe ask him what he thinks about me?"

Lo sighed, and while she started pushing sand to the side, she said, "Look, Emma, I really like you, which is why I'm going to give you the best advice I can give. If you think you're the only one who has crushed on Ty, you're wrong. Actually, I guess that's one of the reasons why I have so many friends, they all want me to hook them up with Ty. But the thing is, I've never been able to get Ty to like anyone that I've tried to help, and if he can't even remember your name, then all hope is lost."

Emma sat very still while Lo talked, and after she said her last sentence a small tear escaped her eye. Emma quickly swiped it away with her hand, but not quick enough that Lo didn't see. Lo leaned over and laid a hand on her back, but Emma just shrugged it off and said, "You're right Lo. Um, I gotta go. See you later." And with that, Emma grabbed her surfboard and started walking back to the resort.

Sorry its so short! It's really just an introduction! I've already made several chapters, so don't worry! This is my first story, so please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

While walking back to the resort, Emma kept thinking about Ty. A few tears escaped her eyes, when she thought of something.

_Maybe the only reason Ty doesn't like me is because he hasn't really noticed me yet!_ _Yeah! That has to be it! Now think, what kind of girl does Ty like? _

As Emma thought, she finally made it back to the shore of the resort, and saw Ty. He was paddling on his surfboard, preparing to surf the big wave about to reach him. Emma just stopped and stared at him, amazed at what talent he had at surfing, when it finally hit her.

_Surfing! That's how Ty will notice me! I bet once he sees me surfing really well, he'll be sure to notice me! And once he notices me, well, who knows! The only problem is that I suck at surfing! I know! I'll start staying up a little later each night to get in some extra practice, that way no one will know, and when Ty sees me it'll be a surprise to everyone!_

With renewed spirits, Emma headed for her room, anxious to start a new day.

Lo stretched in bed, dreading the work that she would have to do today. She looked over and saw that Fin was still asleep, but Emma was gone. Lo sat up in bed and looked around. No sign of her anywhere. She got up and opened the closet to get her uniform when she noticed that Emma's uniform was gone.

_She got up early? To go to work?! That is so lame._ Lo grabbed her uniform and headed for the bathroom, shaking Fin's shoulder on the way.

Fin yawned and slowly sat up in bed while rubbing her eyes. "What was that for? I wasn't ready to get up yet!" Then she looked over and saw that Emma was gone. "Lo, where's Emma?" Lo stuck her head out of the bathroom and yelled, "I'm not sure, but I think she left for work early." Fin's mouth dropped open, "Why? Is she trying to suck up to Kelly or something? Oh well. She's probably making sure that she stays on Kelly's good side since she almost got fired a while ago."

Lo walked out of the bathroom fully dressed and ready, and said, "Yeah, probably. Fin, you need to get dressed. You look awful! Your hair is a mess!"

As Lo walked out of the door, she had to dodge the pillow thrown at her head.

Emma was feeling great today. She even came to work early! She couldn't wait until tonight when she got off of work so she could start practicing. She couldn't stop smiling too. She thought nothing could make this day go bad.

**This one is a little longer than the first, sorry! I promise that they will get longer! Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Emma was finally done with work, which didn't go as smoothly as she hoped it would. She had French fries thrown at her, she dropped three dishes, and it was already dark outside. But no matter what, she was determined to practice surfing. She ran to her room, put on her bikini, left a note for Lo and Fin, grabbed her board and headed for 'The Office'.

* * *

When she got there, she already had goosebumps on her arms and she made a mental note to wear a body suit next time she came. She took a few deep breaths, threw her board in the water, and waited for the perfect wave.

* * *

Ty had just broke up with his newest girlfriend of three days. She threw a drink at him and slammed the door in his face. He decided to go surfing to get rid of all the stress. While he was walking to 'The Office', he began thinking of who to tape next to include in his new surfing movie. He had already taped Reef, Broseph, and Fin, but he needed more if he wanted his movie to be a hit.

He finally reached 'The Office', and right before he approached the shore, he saw a figure in the ocean.

_Who could that be at this time of night?_ He stuck his board in the sand and started walking towards the shore.

* * *

Emma had butterflies in her stomach, but she was determined to make herself a better surfer. She closed her eyes to try and settle her nerves, and when she opened them, she saw it. The wave she's been waiting for. She lay on her stomach and started paddling. The closer she got to the wave, the more excited she felt. She knew she could do this.

* * *

Ty had approached the edge of the shore now, and he saw her bright red hair flickering in the breeze.

_What was her name again? Ella…..Emma? What's she doing out here alone and in the dark? _

Ty knew that she wasn't an experienced surfer and that she shouldn't be surfing in the dark alone. It was dangerous for someone who wasn't an excellent surfer and swimmer, both of which Emma was not. He saw the wave coming, and then he saw her paddling, and he knew that this wasn't going to end well.

* * *

The closer Emma got to the wave, the harder she paddled. She couldn't believe the rush of adrenaline that she had.

_This is what everyone else must feel when they surf! No wonder they love it so much!_

Although Emma felt more confident the closer she got, it was also getting darker. She could hardly see the wave anymore when she felt her board rising and thought that she must be starting to climb the wave, so she stood up on her board and crouched her body low so that she could ride this wave all the way to the end.

* * *

Ty squinted his eyes so he could see Emma better. She was almost at the wave.

_What is she doing?!_

Ty suddenly felt sick to his stomach when he saw Emma standing on her board. The only problem was, she wasn't on the wave! He saw her bending, like she was getting ready to surf, when actually the wave was getting ready to crash down on her without her even knowing it!

Ty started yelling her name, but the wind killed his voice before it could reach her. Fear started coursing through his body as he ran to get his flashlight.

* * *

Emma thought something didn't feel right when she wasn't going anywhere. When she turned around though, she saw the problem. There was a huge black wall beside her! Panic gripped her body as she could do nothing but stare as black wall of water came crushing down on her body.

When Ty finally found his flashlight, he quickly turned around, and what he saw made his stomach churn in fear. The wave had reached Emma, and as she stared into the wave, it slammed down on her and pulled her underneath. Ty started running as fast as he could to the shore while screaming Emma's name and sending up a prayer that she would surface.

* * *

Back at the hotel, Lo and Fin just entered their room. As Fin started rubbing her back, she said, "I hate slobs! Not only are they disgusting, but they cause me back problems when I have to hand scrub three filthy toilets and dig under two beds for the bedding."

Lo just threw herself on the bed with a sigh. "Once daddy lets me quit this job, I'll make him have a 'No Children' rule. That way, there will be no little, immature brats to ruin anyone's day."

Fin just grinned and went to the dresser to pull out her pajamas. Today was a hard day, and she was ready to end it by going to sleep. As she searched the drawer for her pajamas something caught her eye. It was a pink piece of paper with purple flowers on it.

Fin picked up the paper, and gasped when she was done reading it. "Lo! Have you seen Emma?" Lo just looked at her with an exasperated look, "The last time I saw her she was picking French fries out of her hair. Why?"

Fin shoved the paper into Lo's hand and said, "Read." The more Lo read, the bigger her eyes got. Lo looked up at Fin with worried eyes and said, "You don't think she's still at 'The Office', do you? The temperature is dropping by the hour, and you wouldn't be able to see your hand in front of your face! And Emma isn't a good surfer; she can't even stay on the board for a whole minute! Come on Fin, we gotta find her!"

And with that, Lo grabbed a blanket and a flashlight with one hand and Fin's wrist with the other, and together they started running towards 'The Office'.

*Thanks for the reviews! They really boosted my confidence and makes the story come along much faster! I hope you like the story, come unexpected things will be coming up, so just keep reveiwing! :D


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Emma watched as the black wave came closer, and then crashed onto her body until she was engulfed by water. First she felt the stinging pain all over her skin from the force of the water, and then she felt the icy temperature of the water. She began to swing her arms and legs vigorously to try and get back to the surface, but it was useless. The current was too strong.

She began tumbling with the waves, her body paralyzed from the cold temperatures, until she slammed into something hard.

She immediately wrapped her arms around it and began to try and pull herself to the surface. When she thought that her lungs were going to collapse from the lack of oxygen, she finally resurfaced and gulped in a painfully cold gust of air. She then realized that she was holding onto a rock, and she knew that she wasn't too far away from the shore, but she couldn't even see the shore because it was too dark. The only thing she could see was a couple other rocks like hers surrounding her.

She frantically looked around for a way back to shore when she caught a glimpse of a light. She desperately began to cry for help. "Help me! Please! Help!"

* * *

As soon as he saw her go under, Ty jumped into the water and began to shine his flashlight everywhere while calling Emma's name.

_Oh God, where is she?!_

"Emma! Emma, can you hear me?!"

Ty swam a little further out, and stopped suddenly when he heard Emma. "Help me! Please!"

Ty immediately started to follow her voice, all the while continuing to call out her name.

* * *

Emma began to cry, fearing that she would never make it back to the shore, when she heard someone calling her name. "Emma! Emma, can you hear me?!"

Emma immediately recognized that voice, "Ty?! Ty, please help me! I'm stuck on a rock, and I can't feel my body, and……please help me Ty!"

Emma faintly heard her response.

"Don't worry Emma! I'm coming for you! Just keep yelling so I can follow your voice!"

Emma's throat was dry, raspy, and hurt really bad, but she closed her eyes and kept yelling. For Ty.

* * *

Ty's hope was renewed when Emma finally answered him.

_Now all I have to do is follow her voice, which will lead me to the rocks, and then we'll somehow get to shore._

Ty noticed that Emma's voice was getting weaker, so he tried to move faster, but he didn't want to move too fast so the current would carry him away. He kept shining his flashlight until it captured a glimpse of red hair, and that's when he saw her.

She was already starting to get bruised, her skin was pale white with her lips beginning to turn blue, and her hands were cut up and skinned from holding on to the rock, but Ty couldn't pay attention to that now. He needed to get her back to the shore before she froze to death, so he grabbed the closest rock with one hand and reached for her with his other.

* * *

Emma was beginning to give up hope when she felt something shining against her closed eyes. She squinted them open, and saw Ty. He was holding onto the rock beside her, and he had found her.

Ty put the flashlight in his left hand and reached out to her with his right, "Emma, its Ty. Just grab my hand, and we'll get you back to the shore."

Emma forced herself to let go of the rock and grasped his strong hand. He began to pull her to him when a strong current hit them, causing Emma to let go of Ty's hand and be pulled underwater again.

Emma began to fight the current, knowing that Ty was within her reach, when suddenly the current slammed her into the rock that she had been holding on to just a few minutes earlier. The force of the impact caused the breath to be knocked out of her, and with Ty being her last thought, Emma lost consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lo and Fin were halfway to 'The Office', when they heard someone yelling.

"Emma!!!"

Fin started running faster and yelled back to Lo, "Hurry Lo! Run faster! Something's wrong with Emma!"

Although Lo was tired and gasping for breath, she forced herself to move faster, because she recognized that voice.

It was Ty's, and by the sound of it, something terrible must have happened.

* * *

When Ty felt Emma slip from his grasp, he yelled her name to the top of his lungs. "Emma!!"

He began shining his flashlight in the direction her body went, and he caught a shimmer of pale skin and red hair. He put the end of the flashlight in his mouth, pressed his feet against the rock, and by using the rock he dived into the water.

He immediately saw her, sinking lifelessly down into the water. He started kicking with all his might, and reached out as far as he could, when he finally brushed the side of her arm.

With new determination, he forcefully kicked his legs and was able to grab her arm. He pulled her body close to his, wrapped one arm around her while using the other to resurface.

All the while he kept thinking, _Hang on Emma, oh please hang on!_

* * *

Lo and Fin finally made it to 'The Office', and was unable to believe what their eyes were seeing.

Ty was carrying Emma out of the water, and Emma……..she looked so pale and lifeless, nothing like the girl they had become friends with.

They ran over to where Ty laid her on the ground, but Ty just motioned them away. They watched with broken hearts as Ty gave her CPR to try and bring life back to her lifeless body.

* * *

Ty had used every bit of his strength to fight the current to bring him and Emma back to the shore. Usually it would be easy for him, but carrying an extra person made it extremely hard. As soon as he felt the sand underneath his feet, he picked up Emma and began to run to dry ground.

After he reached where the water wouldn't hit them, he laid her gently on the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fin and Lo, and before they got too close he waved them away with the quick flick of his hand and started CPR.

He breathed two breaths into her, then began pressing onto her chest. He stayed focused on giving her CPR, but couldn't help his mind from thinking.

_Come on Emma! You're going to make it! You've gotta! Please, breathe!!! _

Breathe, then pump. Breathe, then pump. Over and over he did the same procedure, when finally…………….

* * *

Emma gulped in as much air as her lungs could handle. Then she felt something warm coming up her throat. She turned her head to the side and let out all of the water that she had swallowed while she was underwater. Her teeth began chattering, and she couldn't feel her body because she was so cold.

She opened her eyes, and saw Ty. She watched as he let out a sigh of relief and grabbed a blanket to wrap around her. She tried to talk, but her throat was too raspy. Ty gently picked her up and began to carry her back to her room. She saw out of the corner of her eyes Lo and Fin, and, were they crying?

Emma felt so tired. She couldn't hold her eyes open anymore. She looked up, and saw Ty staring back down at her, and before she fell asleep, she heard him say, "We'll talk about this tomorrow."

* * *

As Ty laid Emma in her bed, he couldn't take his eyes off her. He never realized how beautiful she was. He gently caressed her cheek as he was thanking God for sparing her life.

_What would have happened if I hadn't have been there? What if I couldn't find her? What if CPR didn't work?_

Ty's thoughts frightened him as he watched Emma, lying in bed, breathing. Safe.

He heard someone enter in behind him and saw Lo and Fin. He knew they were scared for Emma too, but he didn't want to think about that now.

"Make sure you put some warm, dry clothes on her. And give her a couple extra blankets."

And with that, he gave one last glace at Emma and left, ready to ponder on his thoughts and everything that happened tonight.

* * *

Please read and review! It makes the story come faster!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Emma started to slowly wake up. She started to stretch in bed, but was stopped by a sudden surge of pain. She winced and grabbed the mirror beside her bed.

She slowly began to calculate the damage on her face as she traced the cuts and bruises with her fingers. She had a small cut on her lower lip, a dark bruise on her forehead above her left eye, her right eye was starting to swell, and several minor cuts on her cheeks, chin, and forehead.

She reached around to the back of her head and winced when she lightly brushed the large bump on her head.

_Must have been from that stupid rock._

She examined the rest of her body, and summarized that she wasn't beaten up too bad. The only thing that really hurt was her head, eye, and the cuts on her hands and feet. She hated what had happened. She would never be able to live it down, especially since Ty saved her.

She went to the bathroom and saw a note posted on the mirror.

_Emma, you are to rest in bed. Don't worry, Lo will cover your shift. Please stay in bed! We will send you some soup up later today._

_Fin_

Although Emma felt bad because Lo had to cover her shift, she agreed that she needed to rest after last night.

Emma began to sink back into the bed when she remembered what Ty told her last night. _We'll talk about this tomorrow._

Although Emma was tired, she did want to see Ty. He did save her life after all, and in the end she grabbed a couple of towels and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

* * *

Lo and Fin had just found the guys and told them what had happened last night. Everyone felt horrible, especially Johnny. Johnny was so upset that he left his job and went to go buy flowers for Emma.

Lo knew it was just so he could see Emma, but she thought Emma might like the company.

Lo had just taken some food to some customer's tables, and when she walked back into the kitchen, she saw Ty sitting in a chair lost in thought.

"Ty? What are you doing here?"

Ty looked up at Lo and said, "Lo, why was Emma out there, all by herself in the dark, trying to surf when she knows she's just a beginner?"

Lo didn't really know the answer to that, but she figured it had something to do with Ty. "I don't know Ty, you'd have to ask Emma that. Now, if you don't mind, I'm working mine and Emma's shift today, so I need to get back to work."

And with that, she gave her back to Ty and began washing some dishes.

Ty continued to sit there though, and like he was speaking to himself he said, "She almost didn't make it Lo. What if I didn't go surfing last night?"

Lo didn't want to think about it, so she said, "Look Ty, none of that matters. You were there, you found her, she's okay, and that's all that matters."

After she said her piece, she grabbed the next order and left to deliver it to the customer.

Ty didn't know what had happened to him. He didn't even feel like the same person. And how did he feel about Emma? He sighed and walked out of the kitchen, pondering what he should do now.

* * *

It took every ounce of strength Emma had to take a shower and throw on her clothes. She grabbed a comb and propped herself up in the bed. Her cuts were burning from the soapy warm water, and her eye was really starting to swell. Her body felt like it had been beaten by a baseball bat, and she hadn't even combed out her hair.

Emma sighed while using the last bit of her strength to comb her hair.

_Maybe I should just stay in bed. I mean really, why would Ty want to see me anyways? He must think that I'm a big loser slash idiot! I mean, he caught me swimming in the dark, by myself, in freezing weather, wearing a bikini and no flashlight in sight!_

Emma finally finished combing her hair, and while she pulled it back into a ponytail, she concluded that she would just stay in bed today. She didn't want to further embarrass herself when she saw Ty.

Right before she decided to take a nap, someone was knocking at her door.

Panicking, Emma called out in an unsteady voice, "Who is it?"

The door opened slowly, and Johnny stuck his head in. "Can I come in? I brought soup."

Emma's heart slowed down a bit as she nodded and scooted up further on her bed. "Johnny! It's so nice to see you! And you brought soup! Thanks, I didn't realize how hungry I was!"

Johnny put a pillow on Emma's lap, and then laid the bowl of soup gently on the pillow. While she ate her soup, he slowly took in the damage that her body had received. Johnny slowly shook his head while sitting on the edge of her bed. "Emma…….why? Why didn't you ask someone to go with you?"

Emma didn't want to think of what happened last night. She felt embarrassed, humiliated, inexperienced, and scared. She didn't feel like listening to a lecture yet, and she knew that was coming. Although she knew he meant well, she just wasn't ready to talk about it. She knew that once she answered his question, he would want the whole story, from her going to surf alone in the dark to her almost drowning.

Emma finished her soup and set it beside her on the bed. "Look Johnny, I'm really tired, and I'm not quite ready to talk about what happened. I wasn't thinking, and I learnt my lesson. Now please, I'd like to take a nap now." And with that, she sank down into the bed and closed her eyes.

Johnny, seeing that she was going to sleep whether he left or not, picked up the half empty bowl and left her to sleep. He knew that she didn't want to be rude, but he felt hurt that she wasn't ready to talk about it, even to him.

As soon as Emma knew he was gone, she opened her eyes and sat up. She knew she had hurt Johnny's feelings, but right now she was too physically and mentally worn out to think about it. She got up, pulled back the sheets, and once again tried to sleep.

* * *

Please reveiw! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ty didn't know why he came here. He glanced at the sun's reflection on the water. 'The Office' always had the best view.

He started walking down the beach, camera in hand. He rewound the video footage and watched Reef and Fin surfing a nice wave. He watched as they surfed together, almost in sync, when on the very edge of the screen he saw Emma. She was surfing the same wave that Reef and Fin were surfing, yet he failed to record her specifically. The last glimpse he caught of her was her looking confident, smiling.

Funny, it almost looked like she was gazing right into his camera.

Ty sighed as he closed his camera. He never really realized Emma before, and he didn't even know why. It's not like she was ugly. In fact, she was one of the prettiest girls that he had ever seen, always so sweet and perky.

Lo always complained that she could never understand him, and this time he couldn't even understand himself!

Ty looked over near the waterfall. The rocks. That's where the rocks were where he and Emma were holding onto dear life.

_That must be why she was pulled out of my reach. The force of the waterfall created a strong current that pulled her under._

Before Ty could think of anything else, something caught his eye. He squinted his eyes in curiosity and began to approach the brightly colored object. After walking a few feet, he realized what it was.

_Emma's surfboard._

Ty walked over to the surfboard and picked up to examine it.

_Seems to be in perfect condition. The surfboard got luckier than Emma did._

His mind then placed the image of Emma, beaten and bruised, into his mind. He knew he had to talk to her, or at least see that she was okay.

* * *

Emma was having a nightmare. She was surfing a beautiful wave, when suddenly a storm appeared, and lightening hit right beside her, causing her to fall from her board. She tumbled through the waves, and grabbed a hold of something hard, but it wasn't a rock, it was Ty. She looked up with pleading eyes, but all he did was shove her away and watch her scream as the water pulled her under again.

* * *

After Ty found Emma's surfboard, he tucked it under his arm and headed towards Emma's cabin.

As he reached the door, he tried to prepare a speech, but ended up with nothing. He lifted his hand to knock on the door, but hesitated when he thought that he might wake her up if she was asleep, so instead he cracked the door and stuck his head in.

After seeing her in the bed asleep, he quietly walked over to the closet and propped her board against the wall. He was planning on just leaving when he heard her moaning.

"Ty, no, please! Can't…….breathe!"

Ty hurried over to her and began to shake her shoulder. Emma's eyes immediately sprang open and darted around the room, like she didn't know where she was. Beads of perspiration were shining on her face, which he knew were burning her cuts and bruises. After Emma finally calmed down, she noticed Ty.

* * *

Emma was spiraling in the water, when suddenly she was awakened by a jolt. She snapped her eyes open and was relieved to see that she was in her bed. Not in the water. Safe. As she took a calming breath, she looked up and was startled to be looking into Ty's eyes.

"Ty? Am I awake?" Emma's face was burning, and when she reached up to wipe away the sweat that was burning her cuts, she winced with pain as she accidentally rubbed her hand down one of her worst bruises. Ty grabbed her wrist and said, "Hold on, I'll get you a wet towel."

Emma nodded her head. Many questions were popping into her mind.

_When did he come in? How long has he been here?_

The running water in the bathroom silenced her thoughts for a moment. She rolled her head to the side, and was surprised at the sight she saw. "My surfboard!" Emma smiled in surprise, and when she rolled her head back over, she saw Ty leaning over her.

As he gently dabbed the cool water on her face, he explained, "Yeah, I saw it while I was walking at 'The Office'. I thought it would cheer you up." Emma beamed up at him, almost making her bad eye shut completely, "Thank you so much! I thought it would be broken after……." Her sentence trailed off as her smile disappeared.

Ty laid the towel on the floor and stared at his hands for a moment. "Emma, we need to talk." Emma just nodded her head, ready for the lecturing to begin.

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews! Please keep reveiwing!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

There were several moments of silence. Emma's nerves were escalating with every silent moment. Ty lifted his head to look into her eyes. After another pause, he asked her, "Do you enjoy surfing?"

Emma knew surprise must have been easy to see on her face. She was expecting him to yell and lecture her, not ask her something like that.

Emma cleared her achy throat and replied, "Well, before I came here, I didn't know how to surf, but after I started getting the hang of it…..well…..yes I enjoy it. A whole lot actually. When I'm surfing, I feel like I'm gliding on the water. So yeah, I really enjoy surfing."

Ty listened to her, and the more she spoke, the brighter her eyes got. He knew that she really must love surfing. He didn't really know why he had asked her that. He didn't think he really meant to. His plan was to demand why she was there and what she was doing, not ask her opinion on surfing.

After she was done, she lowered her eyes and clasped her hands. Ty rubbed the back of his neck to ease some of the tension that had built up in the last few minutes.

With a heavy sigh, he looked at Emma with serious eyes, "Emma, I know you probably don't want to talk about what happened last night, but there are some things I have to know."

He was right; she wasn't ready to talk about it, not to him or Johnny. She started to wring her hands in her lap as she pondered what to do.

_Should I? He did save my life, and he already knows most of what happened. _

She took a deep breath and nodded, "What do you want to talk about, Ty?"

Ty scooted a little closer to Emma and said, "Well, the one thing I just can't figure out is why you were there all by yourself."

Emma started clasping her hands, and with her eyes downcast, she answered, "I wanted to practice on my surfing. I didn't want anyone to know about it because I wanted it to be a surprise, and I didn't ask anyone to help me because I wanted to be able to do something on my own."

Emma looked up at Ty, and he looked like he was processing everything he had told her. He also looked like he was angry. She cleared her throat, "Ty-"

Before she could say anything else, Ty shot up off the bed, and with a louder voice he started to yell at her.

"What were you thinking Emma?! Don't you know how dangerous that was?! It was freezing cold and pitch black outside, and you were wearing a BIKINI and had NO FLASHLIGHT! Did you think about what would have happened if I didn't go surfing?! You could have DIED Emma!"

Emma looked away from his angry face and tried to keep her emotions under control. As hard as she tried, a hot tear ran down her face. Although her emotions were unstable, she calmly answered him.

"Yes Ty, I thought about it. I know I could have died, and I know the only reason I'm living is because you were there. I didn't know it would get so dark so fast, and I didn't know it would be that cold either."

She turned her head so she was looking into his blazing eyes, exposing the few tears that had escaped her eyes, "Yes I know that I almost died, and it's a very scary thought. While I was being tossed around in the water, and even while I was holding on to that rock, I thought I was going to die. You have no idea how it felt, and if all you're going to do is remind me of what could have been, then save your time, because I don't want to be reminded of it."

Ty stood very still as she gave her speech. He didn't mean to yell at her like that, but all the emotions that he kept inside just spewed out, and when he started yelling, he couldn't stop until he got out all of the anger he had kept inside since last night.

He stood quietly as she talked calmly, a huge contrast to how his outburst had been just a few moments earlier, and when she turned her head, and he saw her tears, and he instantly regretted yelling at her. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings; he was just upset, knowing that she almost didn't make it.

Ty sat back down on the bed and gently wiped away her tears, knowing that they would burn her cuts if they reached them. His heart ached every time he saw her injuries, so he looked down at his hands instead.

"I'm sorry Emma. I didn't mean to upset you. I don't know why I'm acting like I am. I just get upset when I think about what would have happened if I didn't come along. Forgive me?"

Emma was surprised that he had gently brushed away the few tears that had escaped her eyes. She listened to his sincere apology, and gave a small smile as she reached out and touched his hand. "Of course I forgive you Ty."

Ty looked up in Emma's eyes, and without him realizing it, he began to lean in. He was getting ready to kiss Emma, when suddenly the door burst open.

* * *

Johnny stuck his head in the door. "Emma, are you feeling bet……."But he was cut off in mid sentence. His jaw dropped open as he saw Ty, sitting on Emma's bed, leaning forward. He switched his gaze to Emma. Her cheeks were blazing red and her eyes were downcast out of embarrassment.

Ty sat up straight while saying, "Uh, Emma, I should go. My parents are probably wondering where I am. I'll, uh, check on you later."

Ty walked to the door, but before he left he turned back to Emma and said, "Get some rest. And please stay here." Ty then left, closing the door gently behind him.

Johnny didn't know what to do. He felt betrayed that Emma could talk to Ty, but when he tried to keep her company earlier she just sent him away. Johnny stared at the flowers he held in his hand, his heart broken.

Emma was a little upset that Ty had left, but he said that he would check on her later. With that to comfort her, she looked at Johnny, and was instantly puzzled. He had a bunch of colorful flowers in his hand, and he was just staring at them. Emma hesitated before she spoke to him, but she had to know what was wrong. "Johnny? Are you okay?"

Johnny looked at her with sorrowful eyes and held the flowers out to her. "Here Emma, I thought these would cheer you up."

Emma reached out and grabbed the flowers. She held them up to her nose and inhaled the lovely aroma. With a bright smile, she looked up at Johnny and thanked him.

"Thanks Johnny, they're beautiful! There the perfect gift!" But when all he did was shrug, she knew something was bothering him. The smile left her face as she placed the flowers in her lap.

"Johnny, what's bothering you? You're not acting like yourself. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Emma patted the side of her bed, inviting him to sit with her and talk, but he just shook his head and said, "Sorry Emma, I have to get back to work. If you need anything, you know how to reach me."

Emma watched as Johnny walked out of the door with his head hanging low. He made no eye contact as he turned around to quietly close the door behind him. Emma didn't know what was wrong with him, but she was determined to find out.

* * *

**Let me know what you think so far! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Back at the hotel, Johnny had returned to his position. He had his elbows resting on the table and was cradling his head in his hands. Ever since he saw Ty in Emma's room, he felt betrayed and heartbroken. He was so distracted by his feelings that he didn't even see Reef walk up to the desk.

Reef leaned against the desk. "What's up Johnny? Why looking so down in the face?"

Without looking up at him, Johnny just sighed and said, "It's Emma. This morning I brought her some soup, and when I asked her if she wanted to talk, she just sent me away. I felt kind of bad, so on my break I bought her some flowers, but when I went to give them to her, Ty was in her room, sitting on her bed, and by the looks of it he was going to kiss her."

Reef squished his face together while saying, "Ouch! Well what did you expect? She's been crushing on him since she first saw him, and he did save her life."

Johnny's face suddenly lighted up as he got a brilliant idea. "Yes! He did save her life! And I bet if I would have saved her life, she would like me too! Sorry, I gotta go! Reef, can you cover for me? Thanks!"

Reef just stared at Johnny as he ran out of the hotel when a bell brought him out of his trance. He looked over to where the bell was coming from and saw several guests, and they didn't look too pleased. With a gulp and a charming smile, Reef slid behind the counter while cursing Johnny for leaving him here when he never even accepted.

* * *

Fin walked with a smile on her face. She and Rosie had just cleaned the most disgusting room, and she was heading to the front desk so she could get Johnny to post them on her website.

While looking at the cool pictures she had taken on her phone, she said without looking up, "Hey Johnny, you won't believe the new dirt I got to go online." When she saw the desk out of the corner of her eye, she lifted her smiling face, but the smile quickly faded when she saw Reef.

"Reef! What are you doing here?! And where's Johnny?!"

Reef just shrugged and said, "Beats me, but wherever he is, he needs to come back. I've gotta surfer scheduled in half an hour, and if I show up late again I'm going to get a strike!"

Fin just rolled her eyes and said, "Can it Reef! Now where did Johnny go? It's not like him to just leave."

Reef just rubbed his hand down his face and said irritably, "I told you I didn't know! One minute he was down in the dumps over Emma, then all of a sudden he looked like he was going to bust with joy. And then he said something about if he saved her life she would like him and blah blah blah."

After a few seconds, Reef and Fin's gazes sharply connected.

"Reef you don't think he would-"

"I don't know Fin, but we better go find him before he does something stupid!"

And with that, Reef went running to find Johnny while Fin went to get Lo.

* * *

Lo was placing food on the trays, carefully placing each piece perfectly. She knew that Bummer was standing at one of the tables, and if he saw how much hard work she was putting into the food, he would tell her father, and maybe she could come back to the penthouse.

"Perfect!" She whispered as a small smile ghosted her face.

She gently lifted the two trays, careful that none of the food slipped out of place. After she was stable, she headed towards the door. Right before she walked out though, Fin barged in like a mad woman, knocking the trays out of her hands, and she watched as they went crashing to the floor in a big mess.

Lo lowered her brows in anger, but when she looked up into Fin's face she knew something had gone wrong.

"Fin, what's wrong? Is it Emma?"

Fin was out of breath, and to try and calm her breathing, she leaned against the wall and placed her hands on her knees.

"No, it's Johnny. We think he's going to do something stupid."

* * *

As Reef ran along the beach, he stopped every once in a while to scan the water to see if he saw Johnny anywhere. Every person he came to he was asking about Johnny, but no one had seen him. Reef could hear his heart beating in his head, but he knew it was fright and adrenaline that was making it so loud.

He kept replaying what Johnny said over and over again.

_And I bet if I would have saved her life, she would like me too!_

Reef and Fin had reached the same conclusion at the same time. Johnny thought that Emma liked Ty now because he had saved her life.

Reef stopped for a second to scan the water when he heard someone coming up from behind him. Reef turned around sharply, "Johnny?!"

But it wasn't Johnny, it was Ty.

* * *

Ty had seen Reef running from a distance, and the closer he got the more curious Ty was. Reef's eyes were constantly checking the water, and he was stopping everyone he saw, but he must not have had much to say because after a few words he just nodded and kept running.

Reef finally made it to where Ty was, so Ty walked to Reef, hoping to figure out what was going on. Right before he was going to greet him though, Reef spun around, calling him Johnny. Reef had a frightened look in his eye, which made something in Ty's stomach churn.

Reef quickly asked, "Ty, have you seen Johnny?"

Ty was puzzled and concerned when he answered, "No. What's going on Ty? Is something wrong?"

Ty watched as Reef rubbed his temples as he started babbling.

"Ty this could be nothing, but I went by the desk when Johnny was working, and he looked so upset, so I asked him what was wrong. You may not have known this, but Johnny has had a crush on Emma ever since she came to work here. But he was upset that he saw you in her room because he had came by earlier to try and talk to her, but she didn't want to talk about it. It hurt his feelings that she would have talked to you and not him, and he concluded that the only reason she was talking to you was because you had saved her life. And then he said that if he would have saved her life, she would like him too. Do you get where I'm going?"

The more Reef said the paler Ty got. He cleared his throat and croaked out, "You believe that he thinks that if he saves her life she will like him. But he can't save her life if she isn't in danger."

Ty thought he was going to be sick to his stomach when the answer hit him full force.

"You don't think he'll try and set her up where she'll be in danger, just so he can save her, do you?"

Reef couldn't answer, but Ty knew by the look of his face that he had hit the nail on the head.

As Ty began running in the opposite direction, he yelled back at Reef, "Keep looking for Johnny! I'm going to stay with Emma!"

And with that, Ty ran as fast as his legs would go, worry and fright coursing through his body, motivating him to run faster.

* * *

As Lo and Fin ran towards their living space, Fin told Lo what Reef had told her just moments ago.

The more Lo heard, the more scared she was for Emma. "Fin, do you really think Johnny would do something like that to Emma?"

Fin just said, "I don't know Lo. I know he would never really put Emma in danger, but he really likes her, and he may do just about anything to win over her affection."

Lo had never felt so frightened. Emma had been through enough, especially after last night. She knew Emma thought of Johnny as a friend, maybe even a brother, but nothing more would have come from it.

Lo knew that everything was her fault. She shouldn't have said those things to Emma at the beach that day. She knew why Emma went surfing, and she knew how much Emma liked Ty. If anything happens to Emma, she would never forgive herself. She should have just told Emma that she would talk to Ty for her, and then none of this would have happened. And by the way Ty's been acting, maybe he liked her after all.

Lo forced her legs to go faster, hoping that what they were all thinking about Johnny was wrong.

* * *

Reef kept searching for Johnny. He had already searched half the beach when he spotted Broseph. He ran up to Broseph, hoping to gain an extra searcher.

Reef knew that he sounded short-breathed, but he kept talking. "Broseph, we need your help. It's Johnny. We think he's going to set up Emma in a dangerous situation!"

* * *

Ty's mind was working full force. He never knew that Johnny liked Emma, but he didn't even care anymore, he just had to get to Emma. He knew now what he didn't know earlier. He really liked Emma. No. He loves her, and he never got to tell her.

_Please don't do anything stupid Johnny! I'll kill you if anything happens to Emma! Emma, don't leave the room! Please be there! Please!!_

* * *

_Okay! Let me know what you think!_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After Johnny gave her the flowers and left the room, Emma sat up in bed, puzzled over his behavior.

_Why is he acting so strange? Was it because of Ty?_

The more Emma pondered it, the more her head hurt. She started rubbing her temples, when someone started knocking on the door.

Emma looked at the door, hoping it was Ty, and called out, "Come on in, the door's open."

She was surprised when a little boy walked in. She didn't think she had ever seen him before and figured that he was lost.

She swung her legs over the bed and walked over to the little boy. As she crouched down to his level, she felt her muscles screaming in pain, but she ignored it.

"Hey little guy, are you lost?"

The little boy shook his head and replied, "No, my uncle Bummer sent me here to get you. Your name is Emma, right?"

Emma looked taken back at what the little boy said. "I didn't know that Bummer had a nephew, and yes, I'm Emma."

The little boy just shrugged. "Well, he doesn't really talk about me much. He says I'm annoying. Anyways, he sent me over here to give you this."

The little boy then shoved an envelope into her hands and then left without another word.

Emma just shrugged her shoulders and sat on the edge of the bed. She ripped open the sealed envelope and pulled out its contents. There were two pieces of folded paper, and one looked like a map. Emma felt puzzled as she unfolded the map and saw scribbled in the corner some written directions.

Emma gently laid the map on the bed while opening the other paper. She read the scribbled letter carefully.

_Emma,_

_Because you didn't come to work today, I have a special assignment for you. You are to follow the directions given on the map, and you will arrive at Lo's family penthouse. You are needed there to help clean and cook. You are to leave as soon as you receive this message, and if you fail to do as instructed, you will receive not one, but two strikes. So get going! Bummer_

Emma rolled her eyes as she went to get her uniform out of the closet.

_This is so strange! I though Fin and Lo was covering for me! And Bummer never sent me a letter before. Oh well, I might as well get ready and get this over with. I have always wanted to go explore in Lo's house, and maybe I'll even see Ty!_

Feeling better about going, she pulled on her uniform and grabbed the map. She scribbled a quick note for Lo and Fin and laid it on her bed, just in case they were wondering where she was. Before she left though she remembered her jacket. After last night, she didn't think she would ever forget her jacket again.

As she closed the door behind her, she read her first direction, which told her to enter the woods right behind where 'The Office' was. She pulled her jacket together as she tucked the map into her pocket and headed to her first destination.

* * *

Johnny was sitting in the sand behind some rocks at 'The Office', waiting to see Emma entering the woods. He was so excited, his plan couldn't possibly fail! Yeah, he had to pay that kid a few bucks to deliver that envelope to Emma, and maybe he talked the kid into telling her that he was Bummer's nephew, but it didn't matter.

He silently rehearsed the plan in his head.

_Emma will follow the phony directions, leading her nowhere. She'll start to realize that she's lost, and once she thinks that she'll never find her way out, I'll be there!_

Johnny smiled as he pulled out his map, the directions that were on Emma's map printed in the corner on his map as well. Johnny knew that this plan was fool-proof! He knew she wouldn't be in any real danger, because he knew where she was! And when he 'finds' her, she'll be so pleased that she'll never want to be away from him again! He was so happy with his plans that he even decided to wait till it started to get dark before he went in and saved her, making his rescue seem even more heroic.

Johnny smiled as he saw Emma walking towards the woods, just where the map had told her to go. He watched as she pulled out her map, looked at it for a few minutes, crammed it back in her pocket, and continued on with her journey.

Johnny looked at his map, seeing where her next destination would be.

* * *

Emma was confused. Maps were not her thing, and she didn't think that it took this long to reach Lo's house. She pulled out her map again, just to check and see if she was still following the directions. She sighed as she shoved the map in her pocket and continued on.

Her legs and arms were aching, and her cuts were bothering her. Her knot on the back of her head was pounding, and her swollen eye wouldn't even open. But still she continued on, hoping that she would reach the house soon.

_After I'm done, they better drive me back to the cabin._

* * *

Ty finally reached the cabin. Without slowing his pace, he bounded up the stairs and threw the door open.

"Emma?"

He was breathing hard, and the only sound he heard was the sound of his head pounding. He ran to the bathroom only to find the door wide open with no one in it. He was getting ready to leave when he spotted a pink piece of paper on Emma's bed. He snatched up the paper and read its contents.

_Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I was busted for not coming to work and that Bummer has sent me to Lo's penthouse to clean and stuff. Don't worry, he gave me a map. Be back later. Emma_

Ty lowered his brow in concentration.

_My house? Why would Bummer send her there? His parents weren't even at home._

As realization hit Ty's mind, he spun around to see Lo and Fin panting at the doorway.

Fin ran and snatched the letter out of his hand while Lo was trying to catch her breath.

Fin looked up in surprise. "Bummer sent her to your penthouse to clean? But we told him that Emma was sick."

Lo's gaze shot up to her friend's while saying, "Bummer wouldn't send her there, my mom and dad are out of town, and Bummer wouldn't let her in the penthouse unsupervised. Do you think Johnny did this?"

Ty looked into her worried eyes and said, "Lo, you go to the house and see if she's there. Fin, you find Reef and Broseph and tell them to start searching in the woods. I'm going to find Emma."

* * *

Emma had reached the final destination on the map, and there was no penthouse. There was no nothing!

Emma balled up the map and threw it against a tree. "Stupid map! I knew this would happen!"

She was so tired from walking the long distance; she had walked without taking rest. She walked over to a nearby stump and slid to the ground, resting her back against the stump. With a sigh she shoved her hands into her jacket pocket because it was starting to get chilly. When she felt something hard and cold, she grabbed the item and pulled it out.

"My cell phone! So that's where I put you! I'll just call Lo and see how far away I am from her house."

She opened her cell phone and started punching in Lo's number. As she heard the phone ringing, she kept thinking _please pick up, please pick up!_

* * *

After Lo and Fin received their instructions, they all headed to the door. Right before they charged to their destination, they were stopped by an irritating sound. Ty watched as Lo pulled out her cell phone and read the caller I.D. He watched as her face light up with delight as she shouted, "It's Emma!"

She flipped the phone open and said, "Emma! Where are you? We were so worried!"

Ty breathed deep, glad that she had thought to bring her cell phone. He walked up to Lo, and without her even finishing her sentence, he grabbed the phone.

"Emma? Are you okay? Where are you?"

He heard Emma's surprised voice on the other end of the phone. "Ty? Well, I'm tired, but I'm okay. And I have no idea where I am, which is why I called Lo. I must have took a wrong turn somewhere because I was supposed to go to your house and clean as punishment for not coming to work. I'm lost in the middle of nowhere and I'm going to get two strikes!"

Ty tried to calm his nerves down as he absorbed everything she was saying. "Emma, can you describe where you are?"

He heard Emma sigh as she rattled off some of the things that were surrounding her. Ty listened intently, and finally realized that she must be at the big clearing in the woods. In the opposite direction of his house.

Interrupting her, Ty said, "Emma, I'm coming to get you. Stay there, no matter what, okay?"

Ty heard her answer, "Okay Ty, I promise I won't move."

Ty closed the cell phone, tossed it at Lo, grabbed a light pink blanket off Emma's bed, then starting running to where Emma was.

* * *

Johnny looked at his watch. Emma had been wondering the woods for almost an hour. He looked up at the sky.

_Maybe I'll wait a little longer. Just until it gets a little darker._

Johnny pulled out his map again, memorizing the directions to get to Emma and the directions to get them home again.

He was studying the map so intensely, that he didn't even see Ty running into the woods with a blanket flapping behind him like a cape.

* * *

Emma looked at the time on her phone again. She sighed as she realized that she had been in the woods for over an hour. She pulled her knees into her chest and wrapped her jacket around her as far as it would go. A shiver went up her spine, and she hoped that Ty would get here soon.

She tucked her phone back into her pocket and laid her head against the tree stump. She was so tired, and her body ached, and it was starting to get dark and cold.

Right before she drifted off to sleep, a noise woke her up. It sounded like someone was yelling her name. She sat up straighter, straining to hear the sound again. It took a while for her to be able to recognize that voice, and once she did relief washed over her body.

"Ty, I'm over here!"

* * *

Ty was relieved when he heard her answering his calls. He ran full speed in the direction of her voice. He pushed his way through some bushes and out into the clearing.

She was sitting on the ground, leaning up against a stump. She looked so pale and fragile. Her bruises looked darker and her cuts looked deeper. He eyes were clouded with exhaustion, although she smiled when she saw him.

He ran over to her and wrapped the blanket around her without saying anything. After she was wrapped tight, he gently picked her up and cradled her against his chest. He heard her sigh in comfort as she said, "Thanks Ty. You know, for saving me again."

Ty looked down at her closed eyes and said very softly, but enough for her to hear him, "I'll come for you whenever you need me."

He watched as Emma opened her eyes, looking up at him with what he thought was hope. Her teary eyes gazed up into his eyes, "Ty, I don't understand. Do you…..I mean……did you-"

Ty just pulled her closer and silenced her with a tender kiss. After a few seconds, he reluctantly pulled away, the cold breeze reminding him that she needed to get home.

As he began walking again, he tried to explain everything to her.

"Emma, the night I saved your life, well, you've been stuck in my mind. I think about you constantly. I'm always worrying or wanting to see you. Emma, I know it took me a while to realize this, but I love you. I love the way you smile when you surf, your perky attitude, the way the sun glistens in your hair, the way you make my heart stop when you smile. I love you, no matter what."

He looked down at her, and was stunned to see tears spilling from her eyes. Emma smiled and said, "Well, it just so happens that I love you too. From the moment I met you, I loved you."

She saw him smile, and as she closed her eyes and laid her head against his chest, she said, "Ty, we have bonds that tie us together now, and I never want them to go away."

Ty just smiled as he said, "Don't worry Emma, they'll never go away. We have growing bonds, and they just get stronger with time."

* * *

Johnny looked at his watch, and decided that it was time to go get her. He grinned to himself as he packed his things in his backpack.

_This idea is so perfect, why didn't I think of it sooner? After I find her, she'll love me so much that she'll always want to be by my side!_

Johnny pulled out his flashlight, just in case he needed it, and pulled on his backpack. He turned around and peeked over the rocks. Clear. He got up from his hiding spot and headed towards the woods.

With one last glance behind him, he prepared himself to enter the woods, when the most unexpected thing happened. Johnny stepped back in surprise when Ty exited the woods, and he was carrying Emma!

Johnny felt his mouth drop open as Ty spotted him. He watched as Ty stood directly in front of him, and his eyes traveled up his body until it reached Ty's fiery eyes. Johnny closed his mouth and gulped down his nerves.

_This isn't what I planned._

* * *

When Ty stepped out of the woods, the first thing he saw was Johnny. Ty felt his anger rising, knowing that Johnny was somehow behind this. He watched as Johnny hesitantly brought his eyes to Ty's. Ty saw him swallow hard.

_That's right, he better be scared._

He watched as Johnny searched for words to say, but couldn't seem to find the right thing to say.

Johnny's gaze dropped to Emma, which seemed to make Ty angrier. As he held her even tighter, Johnny said, "Is Emma okay? Was she in the woods?"

Ty replied in a tight voice, "Emma's okay, just tired. And yes, she got lost in the woods, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

And with that, Ty sidestepped Johnny and continued to carry Emma back to her cabin.

As Johnny watched Ty carry Emma, and that last sentence haunted him.

"_And yes, she got lost in the woods, but you already knew that, didn't you?"_

Johnny rubbed the back of his neck as he thought, _Man, I'm screwed!_

* * *

_**Lemme know what ya think! :)**_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Emma stretched in bed as she felt the sun shining against her eyes. She opened her eyes and found herself lying on her bed with all the windows open. The warm sun felt wonderful against her cool skin. She stretched her sore muscles and turned her head to see her surprise.

Lying on the pillow beside her head was a bright red Hawaiian flower with a piece of paper lying underneath it.

Grinning, she picked up the flower and deeply inhaled the sweet aroma. She gently tucked the flower behind her ear and opened the note.

_Emma, _

_Please stay in bed. I talked to Bummer, and he has agreed to give you the rest of the week off. Don't leave the room, no matter what. When I saw this flower, it reminded me of your red hair blowing in the breeze, and I thought that it would make you smile. I'll come this afternoon around 12 with some lunch. I love you. _

_Ty_

Emma hugged the letter to her chest, her heart soaring. She felt so happy, she thought she would burst! Everything seemed to be perfect….except. She sighed as she thought of the last time she saw Johnny. He seemed upset and hurt somehow. She pulled out her cell phone, seeing she still had her jacket on. 11:15. As Emma started putting the cell phone back into her pocket her arm froze.

_11:15! Ty will be here in 45 minutes!_

Emma jumped off the bed and ran to the bathroom even though her muscles were screaming in protest from the sudden movement. She turned on the shower water and grabbed some towels. She had to make this quick if she wanted to be ready for Ty.

* * *

Johnny was back at the desk, even more depressed than yesterday.

_I never think. That was so stupid!_

Johnny knew that everyone knew that he had set up Emma with that fake message. Ty was furious at him and almost got him fired. Lo and Fin were giving him the cold shoulder and Reef and Broseph hadn't even approached him all day. He knew now that what he did was wrong, and now Emma and Ty were in love with each other, and Johnny's the one that brought them together.

Today was a slow day, so Johnny could think better. He could still remember what Ty said to him while he was carrying Emma home.

Johnny sighed and massaged his temples. Everyone knew….except Emma. Johnny's head snapped up with that thought. He had to tell Emma, before anyone else did. He had to give her his reasons, and maybe she'd understand.

He dug through the drawers and finally found what he was looking for, his 'Be Back in 10 Minutes' sign that he used in emergencies. After he propped it on his desk, he headed to Emma.

* * *

Emma took a fifteen minute shower, and at 11:35, she was dressed and had her hair combed out. She sat on her bed, twirling the beautiful flower in her hand. Her head shot up as her gaze flew to the knocking on the door.

She grinned as she placed the flower behind her ear and yelled, "Come in!"

She was surprised when she saw Johnny, but instantly became concerned when she saw the same hurt look on his face.

"Johnny, what's wrong? You wanna talk?"

Johnny nodded as he sat at the edge of her bed, and with a deep breath he began explaining.

"Emma, I have to talk to you about some things. First of all, I've always liked you, from the moment I first saw you. I tried so hard to win your affection, but it always seemed that I could never get out of the friend zone. And then you almost drowned, and Ty saved you….I guess I got jealous because I wanted to save you. I wanted to be your hero. And then when you sent me away because you didn't want to talk, well, it hurt, but I tried to understand. But when I came back and Ty was here, I felt like a knife had been plunged in my chest. Then while I was talking to Reef, a stupid idea struck me. I thought that if I would have saved you, you would like me the way you like Ty. I'm not proud to say this Emma, but I was the one who sent you the fake map and note, not Bummer. I was planning on finding you, lost in the woods, and then you would be so pleased with me. But then it backfired when Reef caught onto my plan, and he told Ty. And once again Ty was your savior, and I am nothing but a face in the background."

Johnny looked into Emma's teary eyes as he finished his speech. "I'm sorry Emma. I wish I could rewind time and forget that stupid idea. I'm sorry, and I hope you can forgive me."

As Johnny got up to leave, he was stopped by Emma's hand. He turned around and looked into her eyes.

She wiped away the spilled tears with one hand while saying with a shaky voice, "Johnny, I never knew. You were right, it was wrong for you to do what you did. I could have been stuck in the woods for hours." She searched for the right words to say, not wanting to hurt him any more than he was hurting.

"I would have never thought that you liked me that way. I always thought of you as a dear friend, maybe even a brother, but nothing more. Johnny, I love Ty, and he loves me. We were meant to be together, and you have your meant to be too, but that someone just isn't me."

Johnny nodded as she finished speaking. Knowing that she wouldn't change her mind, he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. He held onto her hand as he walked to the door until their arms were spread at full length. Johnny paused for a minute, dropped her hand, and exited the door.

* * *

Ty was carrying hamburgers and beavertails to Emma's room. He couldn't wait till he saw her again. He juggled everything in one hand as he reached for the door and opened it.

He finally got the door to open, and as he walked in, he said, "Emma, you up? I brought some hamburgers and beavertails!" Ty peeked around the food, and his stomach dropped when he saw Emma crying. He dropped the food to the floor and rushed to her side.

"Emma, what's wrong? Are you hurt? What? Speak to me!"

Ty gently cradled Emma's head in his hands, worry coursing through his body. He felt slightly relieved when Emma smiled. "It's nothing Ty. It's just…Johnny was here a few minutes ago-"

Ty shot up after hearing Johnny's name. "Johnny was here? Where is he? Never mind, I'll find him!"

Emma called after Ty when she saw him getting ready to leave. "No Ty! He explained everything to me. He told me that he liked me, but I let him go. I told him that you and me were meant to be together, and that he'll find someone better than me someday."

Ty's body relaxed as he heard Emma. He even smiled a bit as he leaned over her face, "I doubt he'll ever find anyone better than you. It's impossible." He leaned over and kissed her tenderly, making her eyes tear again, but this time with joy.

"Ty, I love you so much."

Ty wiped away her tears, "I love you too Emma."

Something caught Emma's attention, and she giggled as she looked behind Ty and on the floor.

"Well, I see that you have brought me a meal that the queen herself would be honored to feast upon."

Ty's eyebrows knitted together in confusion while he looked behind him. He saw all the food he had carried scrambled all over the floor. He sighed as he looked back at Emma with an exasperated look, but ended up laughing when he saw her hand pressed to her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter.

Emma wrapped her arms around Ty, treasuring this moment, and planning to never let go.

* * *

**Okay, that's my whole story! :'( I'm kind of sad to see it end! Maybe I'll write a sequel, or maybe just another story. I'm not quite sure yet. Thanks everyone for the reviews and positive thoughts! I really enjoyed writing this story, and I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have!**


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